Koch Brothers Spending Millions to Spread Lies About Obamacare

My God, do these House Republicans not know when to take the L and move on to the next? The answer is no. On Tuesday, Speaker John Boehner announced that the House of Representatives will vote again to repeal part of Obamacare — specifically the provision that requires individuals to have health insurance. You know, because the conservative Supreme Court upholding such a requirement wasn’t convincing enough evidence to them to let it ride.

This morning, Boehner said, “I think what the President did is outrageous. The idea that we’re going to give big businesses a break under Obamacare, but we’re going to punish small businesses and families? It’s wrong, and we’ll have another vote. Count on it.”

This is the part in which I wish I could say, “Smithers, release the hounds!” and Boehner would scurry away and find something better to do to occupy his time.

Like, say, drafting a jobs bill.

To be fair, there is valid criticism floating about the Obama administration’s decision to delay implementation of a key component of the Affordable Health Care for America Act — panning it with a similar sentiment as stated by Boehner. Frankly, it does seem frustrating to delay a measure that some companies have already started enacting.

Still, Boehner cares as much about small business owners with respect to HR 3962 as George Zimmerman loves Black youth.

It’s a disingenuous act, and of all the things the House could be doing right now, posturing shouldn’t be at the top of the list. I wish this debate about a law that was deemed legal would go the hell away already. Sadly, it won’t and part of the reason why is due to two of the GOP’s greatest sugar daddies: the Koch Brothers (pictured), who are keeping this debate alive for self-serving reasons.

A recent New York Times report reveals that “in one of the largest campaigns of its kind, Americans for Prosperity, a conservative advocacy group financed in part by Charles and David Koch, will begin running television commercials this week asserting that the law will limit Americans’ health care choices.”

The group will spend more than $1 million on the campaign with targeted ads running in states like Ohio and Virginia. Moreover, there will be online ads directing people to test their “Obamacare risk factors.” As you can see from the posted ad, the campaign will target young women. Indeed, the ads will run during shows like “Chopped,” “Law & Order: SVU,” and “Good Morning America.”

Tim Phillips, the group’s president, claims their intention with the ads is to “start softening the ground” ahead of implementation. Phillips explains, “Too often we fell into a broad-based ideological argument, and I think we failed to get at ‘look at what they’re doing and how it impacts you.’ I think where we win is on the impact of a specific policy.”

No, their intention is to lie.

Take, “Julie” for instance, claiming in the ad, ”If we can’t pick our own doctor, how do I know our family is going to get the care they need?” There’s nothing in the law preventing anyone from selecting their own physician. And if you take a gander at the site that accompanies this ad, aptly called Obamariskfactors.com, you’ll find claims such as, “Many families could be punished for their personal health care choices due to ObamaCare.”

This reads as a little too déjà vu for my liking particularly once you realize how much has already been spent fighting this fight.

As the New York Times notes:

The Campaign Media Analysis Group at Kantar Media estimates that from 2010, when the law was signed, to 2015, $1 billion will be spent on ads that criticize or defend it. That includes ads for candidates who oppose the law. Half of the $1 billion has already been spent, the group said.

Can you imagine what that money could’ve done besides trolling the hell out of Americans?

Just a suggestion: I’d love it if the GOP and the Koch Brothers go stand in a corner, sing the following song, finally accept defeat, and then proceed to go work toward something that might actually benefit someone besides multinational corporations: